The legendary guitarist recently put his PhD in astrophysics to use to help NASA bring the first-ever asteroid sample back to Earth. The sample was taken from the asteroid Bennu.
Queen guitarist Brian May is knighted
Queen guitarist Brian May, who has a PhD in astrophysics and is also an animal rights activist, was knighted on Friday as part of Britain’s annual New Year’s Honors list (December 31). ).
AP
When Brian May isn’t on stage as a founding member of Queen, he enjoys a healthy scientific interest in space.
But stargazing and studying the nature of the universe are more than just hobbies for the 76-year-old guitar legend. May is an accomplished scientist with a PhD in astrophysics who recently helped NASA bring back the first-ever asteroid sample to Earth.
Samples of rock and dust were taken from an asteroid benne It returned to Earth’s orbit on Sunday. May played an integral role in the mission, creating stereoscopic images that will allow the mission leader and team to find a safe landing site on an asteroid that could hit Earth in the future.
“This box, opened with materials collected from the surface of Bennu, will reveal untold secrets about the origin of the universe, the origin of Earth, and the origin of life itself.” Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement on her website on Monday.. “What an incredibly exciting day.”
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Brian May was rehearsing for a Queen tour when the samples arrived on Earth.
The result is the culmination of a nearly 20-year mission, accomplished in 2016. I saw the launch Osiris-Rex spacecraft bound for Bennu.
the sample itself collected in 2020two years after the asteroid became Earth, Smallest celestial body ever orbited by a spaceship According to NASA.spaceship journey osiris rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) Return to Earth began in May 2021.
In addition to developing the stereoscopic images, May, who was knighted in March, co-authored a book about the mission with team leader Dante Lauretta.Bennu 3-D: Asteroid structure. ”
Sadly, Queen was preparing for a US tour in May, so NASA wasn’t able to meet them in person when they received the samples. It starts next week in Baltimore.. However, the guitarist congratulated his crew in a clip aired on Sunday. NASA TV.
“We pray that this precious sample will be recovered,” he said.
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Why is asteroid Bennu scientifically interesting?
The samples from Bennu, which passes close to Earth about every six years, are not only notable as the first ever American asteroid sample return.
Scientists also provide A window into the early solar system According to NASA, that’s because billions of years ago, an element first took shape and may have even planted the seeds of life on Earth.
The asteroid is more than 4.5 billion years old and is thought to have broken off from a much larger carbon-rich asteroid some 700 million to 2 billion years ago. Bennu, discovered in 1999, may have formed in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter before it moved much closer to Earth.
Studying it should help researchers make discoveries to better understand the events that led to the formation of the planet and the birth of life on Earth. Scientists also hope to learn more about the potentially dangerous asteroid, NASA said.
“Benne is a potentially dangerous asteroid, and what we learn from the samples will help us better understand the types of asteroids that could come our way,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Probably.”
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Osiris-Rex dropped a capsule containing an estimated 8.8 ounces of sample on Sunday morning and parachuted harmlessly back to Earth. Landing in the desert of western Utah Scientists were waiting for it near Salt Lake City.
It was then taken to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in an unopened canister on Monday. Upon arrival, the scientists planned to extract and weigh samples and create an inventory of rocks and dust before preparing them for division and distribution to scientists around the world.
Osiris-Rex did not land after dropping a sample capsule in Utah, but instead set off on a new mission to study another asteroid, Apophis, which is scheduled to arrive in 2029. the space agency said.
Eric Lagatta covers the latest and trending news for USA TODAY. Please contact elagatta@gannett.com.